1993 at Domaine de Marcoux

Because of the abominably wet spring, we made heavy use of silica in spring and autumn; and of horsetail in spring only.
In the run-up to harvesting, the grapes’ sugar content was very low.
We began picking on 20 September, at an easy tempo, and finished on 11 October. 
Rain fell intermittently throughout the harvest, forcing us to work very short days of 2-3 hours; on the 23rd, we only picked for half an hour!  
Without any suitable equipment, we let the grapes dry on a tarpaulin in the cellar!
The work was no fun at all: the pickers were fed up, and so were we!
But like a gift from the heavens, the wines began to acquire colour, body and tannins after malolactic fermentation. We even made a Vieilles Vines cuvée.

That year saw the passing of Jacqueline Armenier, who, after the death in 1980 of her husband Elie, had devoted much time to the estate, alongside Philippe and then Sophie.